About Us

Our mission…

The Jackson Kettell Foundation for the Arts was formed by our family to promote the Public-School Arts Programs in the Tampa Bay Area. We realize the need for the arts in Public Schools and would like to enhance their programs though promotion to the community. Art must be encouraged and supported at the public school level in order to flourish. The JK Foundation’s goal is to raise awareness as to the great talent that we have here in our area, and to enhance the Public School’s programs and create a fantastic learning experience in our schools.

This is our tenth year of supporting the Arts at Blake High School and would like to continue to grow our foundation to support all the arts programs at Blake High School and at Orange Groove Middle School.

How we started

In 2010, our son Jackson came home from school and told us that he would like to attend Blake High School, in Tampa. We were living in Pinellas County at the time and while Jackson was attending the Summer Intensive Dance Program at the Boston Ballet, we packed up our house and moved to Tampa. This is where we were exposed to Blake High School and their fantastic Arts Program. While dancing at Blake we discovered that the department needed funds to enhance the students’ experience. We brained stormed and came up with the idea of a dance festival. 

At first, the dance department was hesitant, but we showed them they did not have much work to do for it and that we would take care of it. We got parents to volunteer and we were on our way. We still have parents who volunteer from that 2011 class.

The JKFA believes that Public School Arts Departments need and deserve help from the community. We are here to facilitate this help.